The UEFA cup: Bayern vs. Bolton Wanderers

Bolton Wanderers fans must have thought they had won the lottery when the draw came out placing their club in the same group as German giants Bayern Munchen. As they travel to the Allianz Arena to see their side tackle an unbeaten Bayern Munchen however, they’d better be praying for a miracle.

New Bolton coach Gary Megson is one of the few ex players who can boast a victory against Bayern in German soil. He was part of the Norwich City squad that won here in the 1993/1994 UEFA cup. That was the only ever home defeat Bayern have suffered to an English team, but I doubt very much whether that feat will be repeated here tonight.

Bayern are top of the Bundesliga and in red hot form. From the twelve league games already played, they have won eight and drawn the rest. Twenty seven goals scored in the league and only four conceded. They did have more problems than predicted in their opening UEFA cup group stage game against R.S. Belgrad, but still came out three – two winners.

Bolton in contrast are having all kinds of problems. Sam Allardyce gave Bolton their first ever taste of European football by qualifying them last season. But since he left to join Newcastle things have taken a definite turn for the worse. The club then brought in Sammy Lee But that arrangement turned out to be a bit of a disaster. Bolton now find themselves second from bottom of the Premier league and in new coach Gary Megson has a mountain to climb if he wants to see Bolton in the UEFA cup next season. To make matters worse he won’t be able to count on a lot of his key players, most notably Nicolas Anelka El-Hadji Diouf.

This game really only has one color. The question isn’t really if Bayern will win but how many goals they will put past a very shaky Bolton defense. My guess is that they will go two up before half time and then cruise the rest of the match, without allowing Bolton to get a sniff of goal.

Prediction: home win (2-0)